Lecture 11 Symbolic Consumer Behaviour Flashcards
What is the emblematic function?
The use of products to symbolise membership in social groups
What is the connectedness function?
Use of products as symbols of personal connections to people, events or experiences
What is the role acquisition function?
The use of products to help us feel more comfortable in a new role
What is the expressiveness function?
Use of products as symbols to demonstrate our uniqueness
What is social identity theory?
We evaluate brands in terms of their consistency with our individual identities
What does consumer self-concept consist of?
- Actual identity schema
- Ideal identity schema
- Actual self-concept
- Social self-concept
- Ideal self-concept
- Ideal social self-concept
How can marketers leverage symbolic meaning and self-concept?
- Link product attributes to cultural categories
- Advertising should imbue a product with meaning
- Leverage pricing, distribution and product strategies
- The more similar a product’s image to a consumer’s ideal identity, the more likely they are to buy a product
- Customisation
What are special possessions and brands?
Special, value position in our minds, characterised by few/no substitutes, low price elasticity, reluctance to discard, personification
Why do possessions take on special meaning?
- Symbolic value
- Mood-altering properties
- Instrumental importance
- Possession ritual
- Grooming ritual
- Divestment ritual
What are sacred entities?
People, things and places are set apart, revered, worshipped and treated with great respect
What are profane entities?
Things that are ordinary and hence have no special power
What can marketers do to make a brand a sacred icon?
- Enhance mysterious and mythological side
- Promote its exclusivity and emotional effects
- Avoid commercialising sacred objects/entities
- Promote association with sacred occasions and rituals
What are the 3 stages of gift giving?
- Gestation stage: we consider what to buy for recipient
- Presentation stage: actually give the gift
- Reformulation stage: reevaluate our relationship based on gift-giving experience
What are the factors affecting the gestation phase?
- Motives
- Appropriateness/meaning of gift
- Value of gift
- Time spent searching
What are the factors affecting the presentation phase?
- Ceremony
- Timing and surprise
- Attention to the recipient
- Recipient’s reaction
